How to butcher a chicken and not feel guilty?

[dancingbear]

Raise them humanely, let them have a nice life. Kill them quickly with as little fuss as possible. Know that this is a much nicer life, and a less stressful end than a factory-farmed animal ever gets. Process them, put them in the freezer, and be grateful when you eat them. Share with friends and loved ones, and be proud of being able to provide sustenance for your loved ones.

If you feel a little sad when you butcher, that's ok. It's ALRIGHT to feel your feelings.

 

[farmergal]

I completely agree with dancingbear. I've been a vegetarian for several years and just killed (or helped kill) 17 roosters yesterday. It wasn't fun, I didn't enjoy the process, but at the end of the day rather than feeling awful I actually felt good about what we'd done. Here's the thing: if you hatch chickens yourself, you will end up with too many roosters (a roughly 50/50 gender split) -- they will harass your hens, fight amongst each other, and eat you out of house and home. You can either sell them to someone else who will likely kill them and eat them, or you can do it yourself. We figured, with all the time and money invested in these birds, we'd rather do the honor ourselves and fill our freezer with healthy, home-raised meat. That was worth far more to us than the $5-$10 we'd get (if we were lucky!) from selling the birds.

If you buy from hatcheries, you have to know that they are simply killing the extra male chicks. Those guys don't even get a chance at life. (Or, some hatcheries pawn them off as "packing peanuts," putting the problem on to someone else.) So at the end of the day, when I was tired and my joints ached from plucking so many feathers -- and I was sitting down to a dinner with my fiancee's family of roast Blue Orpington rooster, mashed potatoes and kale -- I thought, at least my roosters (some of whom had names, and one of whom I had actually helped out of the shell) -- at least they had a good life, free-ranging, "loving" my hens, and eating plenty of treats. And a MUCH longer life than if they'd been cornish cross meat birds... mine ranged in age from 4-9 months.

So... that's how I make myself not feel guilty about it

I personally feel more guilty eating an animal where I didn't know exactly how it lived and died.

 

[micaheart]

Well, there are lots of good replies on this string. I would also say that if you feel too guilty and these were your pets, then trust your feelings and don't do it. Don't feel like you HAVE to kill something if you don't feel like you can. You can try to find them a home where they have a flock to protect. I have placed lots of roosters to good homes. It can take some patience, but I have managed. Some humane societies take them or other organizations that "rescue" and try to rehome them. No guarantees...but there are options. But I agree with many of the other replies, IF you eat chicken, then being able to kill it yourself makes sense and does not support factory farming. Good luck.

 

[Beekissed]

One trick is to NOT look it in the eye...for those of you who can't kill something after you have looked it in the eye. I've never had an occasion to stare into the eyes of the birds I process...must be an urban thing.

If you have to ask the question, butchering chickens may not be for you. Guilt is rarely an emotion I would ever feel about killing one of my animals. I don't enjoy the chore, nor do I gleefully anticipate killing another creature...who would? Rather, I feel it is necessary.

Cassie had a good point....your birds will die one day, no matter what you do to prevent it. They may die of predation, illness or just old age...but die they will. They will eventually nourish another creature, as we all will. Why is this any different than your birds dying to nourish you and your family? You provide good care for them and treat them with respect and kindness all their living days. Why not take that to the next level and also provide them with a quick and merciful end and a noble purpose for their death?

Brandywine has the right idea and has written it well.

If you revere your animals in life, why not so much more in death? Animal husbandry isn't all about watching your animals frolic and enjoy their life...it is also about taking responsibility for the proper end of that life.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

Lots of good replies. Ive been thinking on this topic. I know I myself cant do it...if I were left to fend for myself, I would be eating lots of leaves and grass.
I dont eat rabbit, duck, deer, etc....just the chicken, beef, pork you can buy in the store. (Though we are buying 20 acres and are planning on homesteading...dont ask how we will butcher our own food, I have no idea. It wont be me.)
I went to KFCruelty and was horrified and repulsed, and seriously thinking of becoming vegatarian. I am glad we do not have a KFC around and glad we dont eat it.
Anyway, I am one of those ppl that had 10 'packing peanuts' included in my silkie order from ideal. I posted an add on my local freecycle and garage sale sites and got a response of someone who will do it for me for $2/bird. I didnt pay for the peanuts and I cant get a whole bird at the store for $2. Its worth it to me to pay someone to do it for me. (They are barred rocks and the sad thing is, they are the sweetest, calmest birds and we didnt handle them much when they were little. We handled the silkies alot and they are skittish and afraid and dont like being picked up. Id rather eat the dang silkies)
But, Im wondering if I will be able to eat it afterwards. Im afraid I will be looking at the meat on my plate with pictures of the BRs in my head. (I like to go out and sit and watch them. When I open the door to go in and fill water, they all greet me and let me pet them or pick them up. They are just 2 months old).
I see both sides of it. I feel both sides of it. I cant offer any advice.

 

[blueskylen]

lots of good responses to this touchy issue. i have 11 eggers, and just processed 60 CX a couple of weeks ago. i won't eat any of my eggers, and they will live a good long life with us, even after they stop laying eggs. i'll just add a new hen or two when one passes away.
now the CX - we gave them a great life of good food, clean water, dry lodging and they seemed very content and happy. as they would probably would have lived healthy for only a few weeks more, it was a good time to process them before their legs broke, etc. and they started to suffer. Plus the healthy meat that my family and friends will enjoy is a blessing from them.

 

[Buster52]

I hate processing day. I dread it. I get grumpy in the morning and remain so until the process starts. Sometimes my grumpiness starts even earlier, like the day before.

I don't like killing things.

But then, it is just the killing that is difficult. Once dead, it is no longer an animal but meat. Food that must be prepared for the table.

I think raising my own meat for the table is important for so many reasons. It is better for the environment, more sustainable, connects me and my family to our food and to creation, and is more humane. I can no longer eat an animal raised in a CAFO, because I consider that system a cruel one. Every animal I eat that is a product of that system, I feel I have contributed directly to that cruelty.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thank you for all of your reponses and ideas on how not to feel guilty. Haven't killed any chickens yet, although I've made the decision that it's the right thing to do if I'm going to raise meat birds or eat chicken at all. I really like the suggestion to treat the meat birds as a harvest and not make pets out of them. I think that will work best for me.

 

[doubled]

get yourself about 7 or 20 roosters, build their pen around your bedroom window, sleep with the window open, set a light on a timer to switch on at about 3am.

after around a month or so of this treatment, one morning you'll wake up so mad that any guilt will be so buried in hours of lost sleep that it won't be a problem.

at least, that's what happened to my roosters. they were delicious.

 

[PineappleMama]

Look at pictures of Bambi and Thumper? At least you're not eating THEM. *shrug* I've been chewing on this problem myself and that's all I've managed. I can just imagine what MIL would say upon seeing a Bambi poster above a cone.... she has a trademark WHAT that can be heard for miles.